Folding stool



(NO Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' W. H. VAN GILDER.

FOLDING vSTOQL.

No. 473,534. Patented Apr. 26,1892.

[NVE/V102 Allam@ (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.- W. H. VAN GILDER. FULDING STOOL.

N0. 473,534. Patented Apr. 26, 1892.

e. Smwf/ l M/vento@ a @n Gilda-r' UNITED1 STATES ATENT trice VILLAM H. VAN GILDER, OF PERRYSVILLE, OHIO;

FOLDING STOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,534, dated April 26, 1892.

Application filed August 28, 1891. Serial No. 404,007. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM H. VAN GIL- DER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Perrysville, in the county of Ashland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new.

and useful Improvements in Folding Stools; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section in reversed position. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views. Fig. 5 is a central vertical section on the linea@ x, Fig. l.

The object of this invention is to providea neat and light metallic skeleton stool which can be folded into small cylindrical form, whereby it is adapted to be inserted into atubular casing; and the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of devices, all as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates the body piece or casting hav ing projecting from its sides the lugs a a a, usually three in number, and from its top the spindle a.

B B B represent the legs of the stool, which are pivoted to the lugs a a a. These legs are of channeled form, the channels b facing outward when said legs are unfolded. When the legs are folded up against thebody-piece A, they receive the lugs a into their channels, so that there is no obstruction to their close folding. lVit-h this end in view the pivots, which connect said legs to the lugs a are passed through the ends of the side flanges of said legs. To the lower ends of these legs are pivoted the radial braces C, which, when said legs are unfolded, are turned inward toward the center and are connected together by means of a small stud c and the catchslots c c at the ends of said braces. The upper ends of the legs are provided with stops b', which abut against the lugs a and serve to hold the legs when unfolded in oblique or spreading position, whereby they afford a sufiicientlyf secure foundation for the stool.

These stops also, in connection with their bearings on said lugs, serve to provide an ou tward elastic pressure ofv the lower ends of said legs, whereby the center fastenings of the braces are held secure. Said stops may be formed, as shown, by cutting away the back portion of the upper end of the leg, which also forms the ears or side ilanges, by means of which they are connected to thelugs a ad. When the braces are disconnected, they are turned entirely around on their pivots and brought up into the outer channels ot the legs, where they are out of.. the way, and occupy but `little room.

On the spindle a and resting against the body-piece is the washer e, upon which rests the annular bearing E of the rotary seat, said bearing being annularly recessed to receive the ring e', on which the lower ends of the seat-braces E are pivoted, said lower ends being received in radial notches 'e2 of said annular bearing. Above the annular bearing a collar-stop F is secured on the spindle by means of a set-screwf, so arranged as not to interfere with the folding of the braces. This may be effected by seating the screw flush with the surface of the collar or between any two adjacent braces. The upper portion of the spindle A is longitudinally channeled to receive aspring-catch g, having its catchshoulder at g andan upward projection g2 above the spindle end. On the spindle is also located the annular runner-bearing H, which is annularly recessed to receive a ring U, on which the inner ends of the n-shaped seatbars K are pivoted, said seat-bars extending radially therefrom and having their outer ends connected by a circumferential chain L. Be-` tween the sides of these n-shaped seat-bars are pivoted the upper ends of the seat-braces E', and said upper ends are therefore covered in and guarded by means of said n-shaped seat-bars, so that they are not liable to project above the level of the 'seat to near the canvas or cover with which said seat is designed to be provided. The chain is connected to eyes z of the seat-bars, said eyes being formed by bending their tongues e back between the sides of said bars.

When the runner-bearing H is raised, the seatbars spread out radially and the braces E assume their proper position. The runner- IOO bearing passes over the catch g, which, at first forced into the spindlechannel, springs outward after the runner-bearing has reached the top of the spindle and serves to hold said runner-bearing securely, so that the radial seatbars are held in level position.

In order to fold up the stool, the springcatch is retracted into the spindle-channel byvmeans of its projecting end and the runner-bearing is pressed down on the-spindle, while the seat bars and braces are brought up parallel to the spindle, said seat-braces being received into the channels of the seatbars to effect a compact folding. Then, the leg-braces having been disconnected, they are folded back into the outer channels of the legs, and the latter are then folded up and against the seat-braces and seat-bars, their channels in this folded position facing inward and affording reciesses in which the seatbraces and seat-bars, against which said legs are folded, are received, thereby also effecting a compact folding of the parts, whereby the stool is brought into the form of a cylindrical package adapted to be received in a tubular casing of cylindrical form, as indicated at m. This casing may form thehandle of an umbrella.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. A folding stool comprising a body piece or casting A, having projecting from its sides a series of lugs a, the triangularly-located u pwardly-folding channeled legs pivoted at their upper ends to said lugs, the channels thereof receiving said lugs when said legs are folded,

the parts are closed, the stops on said legs,-

and the folding seat supported from the body piece or casting and having its seat bars and braces folding between said channeled legs when the parts are closed, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the body piece or casting A, having the channeled upwardlyfolding legs pivoted thereto, of the spindle a', supported in said body piece or casting, the washer e on said spindle, the annular bearing E on said washer, the ring E, the seatbraces E', pivoted at their lower ends to said ring, the annular runner-bearing H, having the inner end of a radial vseries of seat-bars pivoted thereto, the upper ends of the seatbraces being pivoted to said bars intermediate of their ends, said seat-bars being n shaped to receive said braces when folded, anda catch for holding the seat in spread position, said seat bars and braces when the parts are folded being received between the channeled legs, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM H. VAN GILDER.

Witnesses:

PHILIP C. MASI, CHAs. 1). TAYLOR. 

